Association between Length of Experience and Knowledge of Doping

athletes with longer experience tend to score better than recent athletes. Athletes with over twelve years of experience were leading in scores with 37.5% of them achieving good to excellent marks. Recent athletes with less than four years of experience were least with only 23.8% scoring from good to excellent.

Table 4. 15: Distribution of knowledge scores per experience of athletes

Cross tabulation - Length of experience * Knowledge of doping Knowledge of Doping

Total Length of

Experience

Excellent Good Average Poor

≥15 years Frequency 0 3 2 3 8 % within length of experience .0% 37.5% 25.0% 37.5% 100.0 % 10 – 14 years Frequency 1 8 18 8 35 % within length of experience 2.9% 22.9% 51.4% 22.9% 100.0 % 5-9 years Frequency 7 27 46 36 116 % within length of experience 6.0% 23.3% 39.7% 31.0% 100.0 % ≤ 4 years Frequency 6 34 61 67 168 % within length of experience 3.6% 20.2% 36.3% 39.9% 100.0 % Total Frequency 14 72 127 114 327 % within length of experience 4.3% 22.0% 38.8% 34.9% 100%

Pearson chi square was used to establish possible association between length of experience and knowledge of doping. Results indicated no statistically significant association between the two variables, (Pearson chi square value of 8.03, df = 9 and p = .531).

Table 4. 16: Association between Experience and Knowledge of Doping

Chi-Square Tests

Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 8.030a 9 .531 Likelihood Ratio 8.260 9 .508 Linear-by-Linear Association 2.263 1 .132 N of Valid Cases 327

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION

5.1 Evaluation of Knowledge on Doping Among Kenyan Elite Runners Findings of the study indicated that Kenyan elite athletes have moderate knowledge (46.4%) of doping with slight variation in specific doping issues. While the athletes were more informed on their rights and responsibilities, they registered low scores in testing procedures (17.1%) and prohibited substances (30. 6%). These patterns are similar to the findings of a study carried out in USA among elite athletes (Albrech et., 1992). In this study, like the Kenyan situation, overall means score were average, while knowledge of procedures was low (36%). Seventy percent of the athletes were unable to identify the testing protocol while only a small percentage was aware they were susceptible to testing.

The findings were also comparable to those of a study conducted in Cameroon among amateur footballers (Ama et al., 2003). Findings of the study indicated low levels of knowledge of banned substances, with 60% reporting they have never heard of cocaine, 74% indicated they have never heard of amphetamines. The findings however, contradicts those of a similar study, carried out among Nigerian professional sportsmen, which indicated knowledge levels of banned substances as reasonably high, ranging from 55% to 93% among different groups(Ohaeri, 1993).

According to the study, athlete’s knowledge concerning supplements was fairly good with 45.0% of the respondents having good to excellent scores in knowledge of supplements compared to 30% who scored poorly. These results vary from those of Yaoundé (2009) which indicated very high scores of knowledge of unlawful substances (93%), lawful substances (55%), and food supplements (84%) among sportsmen in Cameroon.

Though Kenyan athletes’ knowledge of various doping issues was established to be slightly below average (46.4%), it is comparable to athletes of other nations like Cameroon, Finland, France and USA. This dispels the notion that Kenyan athletes are completely ignorant of doping substances or procedures, or are poorly informed than other nations. None the less, effort must be made to improve knowledge of doping by athletes to empower them to make informed decisions when confronted with doping situations. It can also be noted that though the athletes scored poorly in knowledge of doping substances and testing procedures, more than half of them had adequate knowledge of their rights and responsibilities with regard to doping. This implies they are aware of their roles when it comes to compliance with doping regulations.

The low scores registered in knowledge of doping substances(30.6%) confirms the previous findings noted in the literature review, where a number of Kenyan athletes have tested positive for medicinal drugs s consumed without application of Therapeutic Use Exemption. The case of Lydia chepkemei who tested positive for

sulbutamol, which was taken to treat a chest infection, is an example. Another example is a recent case in which a Kenyan athlete tested positive for cathine after consuming recreational drug miraa. It is important that Kenyan athletes have thorough knowledge of what constitute prohibited substances in and out of competitions as majority of these substances are found in common medicinal drugs like piriton, cough syrups, ventolin or sulbutamol, which in Kenya , are dispensed over the counter without a doctor’s prescription. It may also be found in a number of drinks or beverages.

The low scores on doping procedures (17.1%) could be the reason why a number of Kenyan athletes have breached the WADA code on testing procedures, as previously observed in literature review. Up to 58% of them reported that they don’t declare their whereabouts when they go for national or international competitions. Among the athletes who have breached the regulations are Moses Kiptanui, who was caught in possession of EPO in London and John Ngugi, who refused to provide a sample for an out of competition test. A number of them also who have accidentally consumed banned substances have not exploited the appeal procedure to safe their careers. These findings should be a wakeup call that athletes need to be thoroughly aware of all the doping regulations and procedures.